Scope Anthology
by Baka no Healthy
Summary: A random list of spirits encountered in Spice City.


**A/N: Spawn from an ask by yoki2ginko concerning a post I made about random spirits in Spice City on Tumblr, one of which haunts a lamppost on 3rd street and takes passersby's umbrella in exchange for a temporary alteration in reality: "Do you think mob would give lamppost spirit his frog umbrella if in return he could request a temporary alteration in reality in which he doesn't have powers? (Or, alternatively, for muscles)"**

 **Might write more about spirits like these in the future. I don't know yet.**

 **Reviews are very welcome. Enjoy.**

* * *

 ** _the deal:_**

 ** _you have twenty-four hours_**

 ** _you will have all the memories needed  
_**

 ** _none will be the wiser  
_**

 ** _you just have to believe with all your might._**

* * *

he was dropped at the five-to-six AM mark, just before Mom's wake up call. _**it was the first time he woke up before she called for breakfast this semester.**_

ritsu had already left for school.

they had toast, steamed egg, and vegetable soup that morning. his hand was trembling a bit. probably because he hadn't covered it properly with the blanket last night. **_the spoon was left near the cooker for a bit longer than usual_ ** - ** _Mom had let the soup stew overnight_** \- it was hot between his fingers.

he ate quietly while Mom and Dad talked. he wanted to help Mom clean up, but she told him to go before he was late to school.

he went outside.

the sky was clear. the streets were quiet.

he lost a beat of his steps when passing third street. he didn't know why.

* * *

the biology teacher talked at length about bugs.

 ** _before biology class there was math class (geometry). after biology class there was music class (records). that afternoon there was gym class._ **

_what's the overall qualification for an insect_ , the teacher asked at the beginning of the class.

 _an insect has six legs._

 ** _they learned that the last time they had biology class. which was last week's thursday._**

he didn't remember where he left his record. he found it in the classroom where he had his music class yesterday.

 _an insect has six legs._

* * *

the gym teacher made the class run three laps around the football course. he was out of breath when his three laps were finished.

the body improvement club was as enthusiastic as ev —

 ** _he didn't see them around the school much._**

— as ever.

inugami talked to him about the telepathy club. the answers he had to give was, in order, **_yes, yes, no, yes, I have, yes, don't worry, see you after class_**. which never actually happened. he never went to club meetings. he had something to do instead.

 ** _he was a filler member_** anyway. ** _just to keep tokugawa off their hide._**

when the body improvement club came out of the course, he handed musashi a bottle of water. musashi seemed surprised, but accepted the bottle nonetheless.

they sat a chair or two away from him.

* * *

ritsu waited for him at the gate. they left school together.

ritsu told him about the student council's latest project. **_they had been at it for about a month_**. _it's going into application soon_ , ritsu said with enthusiasm, _but by now we're pretty sure it'll work perfectly._

 _thank you_ , ritsu told him.

 ** _he had been staying up with ritsu, being a sounding board to his brother_**. that was the only way he could be of help to this. it was worth a thank-you.

they parted way at the cross-road. _I have something to do_ , he told ritsu.

ritsu didn't ask for clarification.

 _take care_ , ritsu said. _come home before dinner, nii-san._

ritsu didn't ask for clarification.

he listened to the cicadas on his way.

cicadas

he walked.

ritsu didn't ask for clarification.

he walked.

ened to the cicadas on his w

itsu didn't a

he _wa_ ed to the cicadas e care, ritsu said. come home be n't ask for clari _lked._

 _he walked._

he walked.

the neon sign hadn't lightened up yet. he knocked on the door nonetheless. a _Mas_ m _rReig_ an answered the door.

 _what're ya doing here, kid_ , he asked. _you need something?_

he didn't have the answer for that.

he didn't have the answer for tha

in the end, he said _oh, sorry, I got the wrong address, sorry I bothered you_ , and the _m_ terRegieasn _an_ closed the door with a grunt.

he went home.  
he went home

* * *

he went home

* * *

he went home

* * *

the spoon laid in the sink, twisted into a knot.

with a touch, he straightened it to its original shape.

* * *

"No, sorry kid, it's not gonna work," the spirit says with a sigh. Shigeo cocked his head.

"I don't get it."

"See," the spirit waves its hand, "I can change your personal reality for a bit of time no problem, but the thing is you have to believe in it. You have to just trust me."

"I trust you," Shigeo said.

"I get that, but it's more complicated for you. Wi' normal people, I can just force their instinctive perception into believing my alterations, you see? I can't do that for you. There are deep-rooted truths you believe in whole-heartedly in this reality, and my power can't override yours."

Shigeo blinks. "Oh."

"So yeah, sorry I can't do that for you," the spirit concludes. Its hand reaches back behind the lamppost and pulled out the green umbrella. "Here, have this back. I can't take a fee for a service I can't provide."

Shigeo takes the umbrella. He doesn't know what to say.

"Have a good day," the spirit waves. "And just saying, my service isn't worth that umbrella. It'll be more of use staying with you."

Shigeo thinks about that for a bit, and in the end he just nods. "Thank you for the advice."


End file.
